Use iPad with Magic Mouse

[cimousa]

If you have been using your iPad on a desk with the official iPad Keyboard Dock accessory, you might have felt the need of having a mouse to control iPad’s screen. This is because it is more convenient to use a pointing device for interacting with a device when it is placed in a standing position on a desk, just like how we do with our desktop monitors, notebooks/netbooks and so on.

So the other day, I gave BTstack Mouse app a go on my jailbroken iPad and was pretty impressed with the result. Not only did it worked with Apple Magic Mouse, but also with almost all the other Bluetooth enabled mice I had. For those of you who don’t know, BTstack Mouse is a free utility which was first released earlier this year for jailbroken iPhones and iPod touch.

Here is a little video I did which shows a jailbroken iPad being controlled by Magic Mouse.


YouTube - Use Apple iPad with Magic Mouse [Jailbreak]


Follow the steps below to get it working on your iPad.

Step 1: Make sure you have a jailbroken iPad. Follow the complete instructions posted here for jailbreaking your iPad with Spirit if you haven’t already.

Step 2: Install BTstack Mouse app from Cydia. It is available under BigBoss repository.

Step 3: Now start the app and let the app discover your Bluetooth-capable mouse. Once it has been detected, simply connect the mouse and it should be working.

Tested with: Microsoft Bluetooth Mouse 5000 and Apple Magic Mouse.

Apple is set to bring official support for using Bluetooth keyboards in iPhone OS 4 for iPhone. It now remains to be seen whether such a support for Bluetooth mice will also be brought, for both iPhone and iPad.

Anyone here try this?

Source: http://www.redmondpie.com/control-ipad-with-magic-mouse-9140743/

 

[dpizzo]

Very cool, thanks.

 

[kheldour]

Interesting, but for me, it misses the point of the iPad. Never the less, interesting.

 

[gentlefury]

I set it up and it works great, I might start using it at work...it's annoying trying to touch navigate when it's standing up....might have to get a keyboard.

 

[DavidNM]

One slight problem - if you're using the wireless keyboard - it won't work. so then you don't have a keyboard but you do have a mouse. I then tried to install the BT Stack Keyboard thinking that would run my keyboard - nope - crashed my iPad.

 

[Sonny Burnett]

So you are trying to setup your iPad like a netbook then.

 

[DavidNM]

Nope - I'm just playing with technology - trying to see what works and what doesn't - trying to push and twist my iPad to do things it might not be designed to do - I believe it's called curiosity (or maybe intelligence) eh?

To set my iPad up like a netbook I would have to slow it down to 1/5th the current speed, cut the battery life to a fourth, use a Brillo Pad on the screen, solder a pound of lead to it for added ballast - and install a Windoze operating system.

 

[gentlefury]

So you are trying to setup your iPad like a netbook then.

I think it's funny that people find it totally acceptable to use a mouse with a notebook that comes with a trackpad but says what's the point on the iPad. I think having a keyboard and mouse on the iPad would be great, that way you can just pick it up and use it as a tablet or set it down and use a mouse and keyboard.

 

[dpizzo]

One slight problem - if you're using the wireless keyboard - it won't work. so then you don't have a keyboard but you do have a mouse. I then tried to install the BT Stack Keyboard thinking that would run my keyboard - nope - crashed my iPad.

Ahhh, so it only works with the Apple dock/keyboard? I persoanlly wouldn't likely use it by this is something the lady would definitely be interested in.

 

[viperviper]

what u mean the apple mouse won't work with Ipad? why apply dont allow it's own device (magic mouse) to be use in iPad... it just make no sense at all.... just image u come home, on your table is a wireless KB, an iPad stand, and a magic mouse... just dock and u are on laptop environment. Once u want to go to bed, just pull out the ipad from the stand and surf the net on the bed with just the ipad....how nice.

 

[LunaC]

This work almost perfectly. No gestures and the ipad dock keyboard seems causing the bottom portion where the onscreen keyboard would normally be to not be receptive to clicks (move events work). This is really a nice setup because if you are using RDP/VNC, the precision of the touch is not high enough to be productive. Also makes it easier to edit documents with text selection and highlighting of block.

-C

 

[DavidNM]

I think we'll have to figure out what are the practical applications for various configurations of the iPad. While I might be able to hook it up to a keyboard and mouse on a stand - if I'm doing that a half foot from my desktop or laptop - is there a point?

That will most likely be figured out in the near future - and I would guess that software / OS upgrades should take care of most of these issues.

As I sit back and look at my iPad - I keep reminding myself that I need to KISS (keep it simple stupid) - and use the base functionality as intended.

Sure - I know how to push hardware - I had a Samsung Omnia, jailbroken, running cooked OS's - new WM 6.5 with the GPS unlock, etc. I spend days and days and days working on various tweaks to the OS - functionality boosts, etc. Bottom line - I didn't care for the software or how it worked.

 

[ARDOTBEE]

Going home and trying this today!!